Thursday, March 31, 2011

Com. Milan Bhattacharjee Ex. President A.I.P.E.U Postmen & Group 'D' CHQ, New Delhi has been declared Candidate for the post of M.L.A. from Kakdwip Constituency (24, Pargana South District West Bengal) NFPE congratulates and wishes all success to Com. Milan Bhattacharjee.

The Full Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India headed by Chief Justice Y.B. Chandrachud and comprising Justice V.D. Tulsapurkar, Justice D.A. Desai, Justice O. Chinuappa Reddy and Justice Bhaharul Islam delivered a historic Judgement on 17.12.1982 on Pension. The Judgement is known as Magnacarta of the Pensioners. December 17 is celebrated as "Pension Day" all over India by Pensioners Organizations. The following are the excerpts from the Judgement.

"As per Indias Constitution, Government is obliged to provide social and economic security to Pensioners and that Govt. Retirees (Pensioners) had the Fundamental rights to Pension"

"States obligation to provide security in old age is recognized. As a first, Pension is treated not only as a reward for past service but with a view of helping the employee to avoid destitution in old age. When the employee is physically and mentally alert, he rendered the best unto the master expecting the master to look after him in the evening of his life. A pension is not in the nature of alms being rolled to beggars".

"Pension is not a bounty nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer. It is not an exgratia payment, but a payment for past service rendered. It is a social welfare measure rendering Socio-economic justice to those who in the hey days of their life, ceaselessly toiled for their employers on assurance that in their old age, they would not be left in lurch."

"Pension is therefore deferred wages. Pension is their statutory, inalienable and legally enforcible right and it had been earned by the sweat of their brow. The Senior Citizen need to be treated with dignity, courtesy befitting their age. A pension scheme consistent with available resources should therefore provide pension so that the pensioner should able to live (i) free from want, with decency, independence and self respect and (ii) at a standard living equivalent at pre-retirement level.

The UPA-II Government has presented the New Pension Bill in the Parliament. CPI (M) Lok Sabha Leader, Com. Basudev Acharya, MP demanded voting. Both UPA and NDA MPs Voted in favour of introduction of the bill in Parliament. Only left party MPs opposed. Thus it is once again made clear that when it comes to economic policies there is no difference between NDA and UPA.

Even before passing the bill in Parliament the New Pension Scheme called "Contributory Pension Scheme" has already been made applicable to those employees who joined Central Govt. Services on or after 01.01.2004, through an executive order by the NDA Government. 10% of the pay and DA is being recovered from every employee who joined service on or after 01.01.2004, in each month towards Contributory Pension Scheme. On passing the bill by Parliament Pension Fund Managers will be appointed. Multi –national Corporate houses are waiting for their chance to become Fund Managers so that the accumulated huge amount in the Pension fund will be at their disposal. As the new Pension Scheme is share marketoriented the Pension Fund will flow to the share market. If share market booms, the Pension Fund Managers can accumulate huge profit. If share market crashes, the Pension Fund will collapse and the entire savings of the employees will be lost. The recent world economic crisis has witnessed many such Pension Fund collapses and lacs and lacs of workers are deprived of their Social Security at old age.

The New Pension Scheme is a product of the globalization policy pursued by both NDA and UPA Government. UPA-I Government could not pass the bill as the

Supporting left parties had made it clear that they will withdraw support to the Government and vote against the bill. Government tried to make consensus by convening a meeting of all Chief Ministers. Out of 22 Chief Ministers only three Left Front Chief Ministers viz. West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, opposed the New Pension Scheme. Now as UPA and NDA have joined together, the bill is likely to be passed in this Session of the Parliament. The New Pension Scheme can be made applicable to all including public and private sector employees.

There is a perception that the New Pension Scheme can be made applicable to the new entrants only. This is not correct. The Work Study Group appointed by Sixth Central Pay Commission has been asked to examine and submit report on the following terms of reference:

(i)to workout the existing and future pension liability of the Central Govt. Employees who are in service prior to 1.1.2004.

(ii)to work out the pension liability of those Central Government Employees appointed prior 1.1.2004 and whose age profile is between 30 years and 40 years.

(iii)to examine the feasibility of establishing a self –reliant Pension Fund with initial corpus fund provided by Governmentfor the employees who are in service prior to 1.1.2004 and thus reduce the expenditure on pension.

The Sixth CPC has already made some observations regarding introduction of Contributory Pension Scheme to the employees who are in service prior to 1.1.2004.

Thus a serious threat looms large over the head of the entire Central and State Government Employees and allother sections of the workers. Nationwide sustained campaign and united action by the entire working class is the need of the hour. The Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers and the All India State Government Employees Federations has already given a call for nationwide campaign and protest demonstration. The question of organizing higher forum of trade union action including strike is under serious consideration.

NFPE calls upon the entirety of the Postal and RMS Employeesto organize effective campaign against the ill effects of the New Pension Bill and be ready for direct action if situation warrants.

Sub:Computerisation of Double and Single-handed post offices in current financial year – Usage of SQL Express and Windows – 7 for running Meghdoot software

During current Five Year Plan, Technology Division has supplied hardware to 1720 double-handed post offices. In the current year a supply order has also been placed on DGS&D for computerization of single handed offices. The supply of this hardware in current financial year has been done keeping in view the overall plan to computerize and network all the departmental post offices. In this context, an assessment was made not to supply SQL Server and Windows server for these double handed and single handed offices. This was done for building synergy with upcoming Technology Project 2012 which proposes computerization and networking of all post offices and which does not have requirement of a server in post offices.

The hardware supplied to these double handed post offices now is pre-loaded with Windows 7 Operating Software. For database management, it has been decided that SQL Express; free software will be utilized. In such post offices, one of the nodes will be utilized as Server. In case of single-handed post offices, the sole available node will be utilized.

In the light of the foregoing, the computers so supplied to such double and single handed post offices would be utilized for providing computerized services to public through Meghdoot software and for making officials well-versed with use of computers. On commissioning of integrated central-server based software, this exposure to computers would be useful. Accordingly, CEPT was asked to test the functioning of Meghdoot software on windows 7 and SQL express.

This new version of Meghdoot software will be ready with CEPT Mysore to be deployed in double and single handed post offices where hardware has been supplied with windows 7 and where SQL Express freeware will be used for database management. In these post offices, Meghdoot would be utilized for counter, delivery, treasury and other tested modules of application.

The Competent authority has desired that all these post offices may also be linked through date extraction tool, separate instruction will be issued by the Project Arrow monitoring group in this regard, which may be awaited

Saturday, March 26, 2011

A day after a heated discussion took place in Parliament on the WikiLeaks disclosures published inThe Hindu, it was business as usual in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Speaker Meira Kumar went through the process of 'Papers to be laid on the Table' and then got down to the legislative business, including the introduction of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011.

As soon as she called out Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena, standing for Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, to introduce the Bill, CPI (M) leader Basudeb Acharia stood up, opposing the introduction of the Bill and demanding a division, taking the Treasury Benches by surprise.

Only a handful of Ministers were present, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, along with his deputy V. Narayanasamy. Caught unawares, the treasury benches too wore a rather thin look, enough for the government to sense trouble. Both the Ministers went up to National Democratic Alliance working chairman L.K. Advani and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, and talked to them. It became clear that the main Opposition BJP would come to the government's rescue.

Mr. Bansal cited Rule 72 on the government's legislative competence to introduce the Bill and sought to know the grounds on which Mr. Acharia was opposing it, but the CPI (M) leader refused to budge from his demand for division.

The Speaker ordered division when Mr. Acharia further pressed for it. "We are opposing the introduction of the bill. I am asking for division instead of a voice vote," Mr. Acharia said.

Of the 159 members present in the 543-member House, 115 voted for introduction of the bill and 43 opposed it, while one abstained. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, several Ministers and Congress members were not present.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad was heard saying that when the Speaker had already ordered division, it could not be rolled back.

The bill provides for the establishment of an authority to promote old-age income security by creating, developing and regulating pension funds and to protect the interests of subscribers to pension fund schemes.

Friday, March 25, 2011

11TH MEETING OF THE POSTAL SERVICES STAFF WELFARE BOARD TO BE HELD IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM , DAK BHAWAN ,NEW DELHI- PREPONEMENT TO 30TH MARCH 2011 STARTING AT 1430 HOURS, UNDER THE CHAIRPERSONSHIP OF HON`ABLE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS &IT

D.G. Posts No.1-1/2009-WL/Sports dated the March 22, 2011.

In partial modification of the Department's letter of even number dated 16.03.2011 on the above mentioned subject, I am directed to inform that the meeting of Postal Services Staff Welfare Board, which was earlier scheduled to be held on 5th April, 2011, has now been preponed to 30th March 2011.The meeting will be convened in Committee Room, Dak Bhawan , New Delhi, starting at 1430 hours.

The UPA II Government has today introduced the PFRDA Bill once again in the Parliament.Thebill that was introduced earlierby the then Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram, could not muster sufficient support to get enacted as the Left parties Parties opposed it. Even though the enactment could not be made, the Government through executive fiat had converted the statutory defined benefit Pension scheme which is in existence for decades in the case of Government employees into a contributory pension scheme.

The All India State Government Employees Federation and the Confederation of Central Government employees had jointly taken the decision earlier to oppose the introduction of the Bill by organizing a two hour walk out programme. Accordingly we call upon all our Affiliates and State Units to immediately organize demonstration in front of all offices between 12 and 2 PM and mobilize the members for sustained serious programmes of action in the days to come.Intensive campaign programmes must be undertaken to bring home the pernicious impact the bill will bring about on the existing pensionary benefits of the Government employees. Besides, The funds accumulated from the contributions made by the employees as stipulated in the New Contributory pension scheme would be diverted to stock market for investment. Since the Government is to contribute equal amount as is being made by the employees, the new contributory pension scheme would be an unbearable drag on the exchequer and the sole beneficiary would be the big corporate houses. We must therefore embark upon a sustained struggle against the new scheme including a day's strike action as and when the bill is taken up for enactment by the Parliament.

.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

Sd/-

K.K.N.Kutty;

Secretary General

NFPE CALLS UPON THE ENTIRE RANK AND FILE TO ORGANIZE DEMONSTRATION IN THE FRONT OF ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICES BETWEEN 12 AND 2 PM TO REGISTER STRONG PROTEST AGAINST PFRDA BILL INTRODUCED BY UPA GOVERNMENT IN LOK SABHA AND MOBILIZE MEMBERS FOR SUSTAINED SERIOUS PROGRAMMES OF ACTION IN THE DAYS TO COME.

AN IMPORTANT MEETING OF POSTAL JCA CONSISTING NFPE/FNPO & GDS Union WILL BE ORGANIZED AT NFPE OFFICE NEW DELHI AT 1730 HRS ON 30.03.2011 TO CHALK OUT STRATEGY AND LAUNCHING AGITATIONAL PROGRAMME AGAINST RESTOGRADE ORDERS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND ON INTRODUCTION OF PFRDA BILL IN LOK SABHA BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. ALL GENERAL SECRETARIES OF NFPE UNIONS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND THE MEETING

Global It giant HP is fighting it out with domestic IT services companies such as Infosys Technologies, Tata consultancy Services and Wipro for a Department of Post contract. The contract which involves Implementation of financial services solution, is one of the eight projects that the department is outsourcing as part of its IT modernisation initiative.

"Four companies have submitted commercial and financial bids and the bids are currently being evaluated. The contract seeks to provide connectively to 170000 post offices in the country for anytime, anywhere banking" sources said.

While the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs last year approved the 'India Post 2012. IT modernisation project at an overall outlay of Rs.1,877 crore, the entire project will be implemented through eight separate contracts. However, the breakup in terms of value for individual contract could not be immediately ascertained.

According to sources, these four companies have responded to Request for Proposal by the postal department, seeking to put in place an enterprise wide financial management system for the Post Office savings bank and postal life insurance. The vendor will manage the system for five years.

Broadly, the scope of work includes supply, installation and commissioning of postal banking applications entailing core banking solution and ATM switch.

In addition to banking and insurance solution, the IT vendor would also have to install 1000 ATMs and create mobile and web based access for all users.

When contacted, the four companies refused to comment on the issue.

As part of its ambitious IT Modernisation effort, the Postal department is expected to hand out multiple contracts. The Rural ICT hardware contract involved supply and installation of rural IT hardware devices and providing network connectivity to 1.30 lakh Gramin Dak Sewak post offices enabling post offices to perform e-transactions. The rural ICT system integrator will develop the platform for all applications that will reside in the rural hand-held devices and the core system integrator will focus on all applications that will run in the post and mail offices.